Learn a bit more about Tami Lehman-Wilzig, author of Passover Around the World. Our thanks to Tami who sat down to answer our questions!
ChallahCrumbs Tell us a bit about your book.
Tami Lehman-Wilzig Passover Around the World reflects the multi-cultural nature of the Jewish nation by focusing on different customs from across the globe used to celebrate this very special and important holiday. I love this book because it’s a background source and serves as either a story-time reader or chapter book, depending on the child’s age. To make Passover relevant and fun for children I’ve written eight original mini stories — each revolving around a specific custom and accompanied by a matching recipe — plus I’ve bookended the stories with background information and a potpourri section. It provides the setting for some wonderful family fun.
CC What inspired you to write this book?
Tami What greater compliment can an author get than by having her publisher ask her to write a specific book? That’s what happened with Passover Around the World (and subsequently Hanukkah Around the World). The fact is, the request was pretty ironic. No one at Kar-Ben knew that my father had made a custom of bringing home people from synagogue who had no place to celebrate the Seder. We never knew what the final count around the table would be, and it just so happens that most of our mystery guests were young adults from around the world who had come to New York on temporary visas. So one year we had three Iranian Jews, another an Ethiopian training as a Hebrew School teacher, and I even remember a young French woman who came with her own Hagaddah. The customs they all brought to our table were fascinating. So matching me with a book on Passover customs was like scoring right away on JDate.
CC How did you get started as a writer?
Tami Writing has been a romance that began when I was in third grade. Along the way I was blessed with many encouraging English teachers. Taking a college course in Children’s Literature finally nailed down the genre. But getting published? Whew…the rejections! Even Kar-Ben, which has published 7 of my 10 books, initially sent me a polite rejection. You can imagine how excited I was when I received their first acceptance.
CC What are some of your favorite children’s books?
Tami Growing up I loved reading the Madeline books and all of Dr. Seuss. When my boys were little I really got into Richard Scary and I’m sad that he’s not as popular as he used to be. Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are is another favorite. Closer to home, I am a big fan of Deborah da Costa’s book Snow in Jerusalem. It’s lovely and with just the right message.
CC What book are you reading now?
Tami I belong to the most wonderful book club composed of witty, intelligent women compiling a list of book titles many of us would not read on our own. Right now we’re reading Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. If you’re an American who likes the George Bernard Shaw quote that “America and Britain are two nations separated by one language” then this is the book for you. Try understanding British teenage slang!!!
CC Tell us what you are working on now.
Tami Let’s say I’m playing around with several ideas — nature stories set in Israel plus if I can convince a publisher – Shabbat Around the World. I have collected so many fabulous customs.
CC Do you have any special Passover traditions in your family?
Tami I am adamant about continuing my late father’s custom of inviting strangers and lonely people to our house for Seder night. Remember, we too were strangers in the Land of Egypt.
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